In focus: Transition, one step at a time

The energy transition is progressing more gradually than envisioned, and it is hard to see how the goals of 2050 will be met. We are reluctant to alter the way we live drastically, moving beyond current practices and embracing entirely new ones. As creatures of habit, we tend to favor incremental changes that solve problems through small, systematic steps, thereby promoting change over time. In this light, the problem with the energy transition is that we started too late. When it comes to tweaking existing industrial processes to curb carbon emissions, numerous steps are being taken.